ST. KATHERINE OF ALEXANDRIA (NOV. 25TH)

 

St. Katherine of Alexandria

By Bp. Joseph (Ancient Church of the West)

Katherine was born into the ruling family of Alexandria, the daughter of Constus, the Roman Governor of Egypt. She was raised in a privileged childhood of wealth and education, learning to read and write at a young age, and becoming skilled mathematics, science, art and philosophy. 

At the age of 14, Katherine heard the Gospel from her mother’s servants and made friends with Christian philosophers, who were famous for their evangelism in the late 3rd century. She converted, was baptized, and began to grow a small community of Christians within the Governor’s home, reading Scripture together and secretly receiving the Sacraments from a local priest. 

The Baptism of St. Katherine

It was around this time that Maxentius, the Emperor, saw Katherine in her father’s household on one of his trips to Egypt, and fell in love with her for her sweetness, character and beauty. Arranging a marriage with her father, the Emperor planned for take her to Rome and make her his bride. Upon hearing this, however, Katherine rejected the marriage and told her father that she had consecrated her virginity to Christ. Her father pled with her to protect herself and her family, but she would not consent to his pleading. Maxentius was outraged when he heard of this rejection and commanded that Katherine be brought to trial. 

In her trial, Katherine was resolute in her rejection of the Emperor’s marriage proposal, and she gave stirring testimony to the truth and beauty of the Christian Faith (which was illegal, but had been tolerated by Egyptian authorities). The Emperor commanded pagan philosophers and priests to publicly debate the young woman, hoping to defeat her with the use of rhetoric and logic, and shame her into abandoning her commitment to Christ. Tradition states that 50 philosophers were present at her trial, and none of them could give an answer to the profound questions and stirring rebukes of this young woman. 

Angered by this public defeat, and afraid that the masses would support Katherine and abandon paganism, Maxentius commanded that she be tortured and silenced. After horrific abuse, with wounds over her whole body, the innocent Katherine was thrown into prison, believing that she would succumb to her wounds. However, after 40 days of laying in a filthy prison and issuing a continuous stream of blood, Katherine did not die. Angels were seen ministering to her, and she spoke of visitations of Christ and the Theotokos to comfort and sustain her. Many noble women came to visit her, weeping over her wounds and suffering, urging her to submit to the Emperor. In each instance, Katherine urged her friends and visitors to follow Christ. Many of these women did, and were promptly arrested and imprisoned for their crime of sedition.

  

A Greek Icon of the Crowning of St. Katherine and Her Vita in the Side Panels

A French Icon of the Crowning of St. Katherine

On November 25th, St. Katherine was brought out of prison to be martyred upon a spiked wheel. When her body touched the wheel, it shattered, and the soldiers killed her by striking her with their swords. It is said that milk and incense poured from her wounds. With her last breath, St. Katherine prayed to Christ and asked to be an intercessor for women and children in need. After her death, the air was filled with the smell of incense and a bright light shone from her body. Ever after, St. Katherine was known and loved as one of the greatest examples of Christian saintliness and purity, and a powerful intercessor before Christ’s throne in heaven! 

Almighty and ever-living God,

Who gave Saint Katherine of Alexandria to Thy people

as a Virgin and an invincible Martyr,

grant that through her intercession

we may be strengthened in faith and constancy

and spend ourselves without reserve

for the unity of Thy Holy Church.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son,

who livest and reignest with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen!

St. Katherine, Pray for Us!

The Blessed Virgin Mary and Child, Surrounded by the Virgin Saints of the Church, St. Katherine at Our Lady's Right Hand